'65 C Coupe

[NapTownSpeedy]

Ok Porschephiles. I've been searching for a new project car for a while. I've owned a 914 and a 911SC. I just helped a friend of mine purchase an immaculate 88 Carrera Targa. Now my need for fun motoring is unstoppable. However, I don't really want a mid-80's Carrera with all of the bells and whistles...
So today I drove a 356 for the first time. What a great car. A major concern is head room (I'm 6'5"). What a surprise, great room.
Okay, car is a '65 356 C. Which I believe is important for dispalcement and disc brakes. Body is rough but not terminal. Interior is rough but seller has all new carpet and coverings to install. New gas tank, sending unit, and new engine rebuild. Longitudinal are solid as is most of the pan. Battery box has a small spot but still solid. Jack points need replaced.
So the skinny is $9500 for the lot. I know just about everything to look for on a 911 from '68-'89, but not 356's.
What else do I need to look for and what am I not paying attention to. Thanks, sorry for the obnoxiously long post!
PS- Color is Togo Brown. Ugly but growing on me, would probably keep original.

[echocanyons]

How rough is rough?

If your main purpose for the car is a driver it sounds good if you are willing to straigten the body issues.
I would check the history of the engine and trans to prevent suprises.
I would imagine that rust would be your biggest concern, check it carefully, door bottoms are also rust prone.

You can reference the engine number at www.356a.com

Good luck

Kelly

[Wayne 962]

Everything is basically cheap, except body work. Get a car with as little rust on it, and worry about the other stuff later one. By a factor of ten, rust is your worst enemy...

-Wayne

[gac123]

I was searching for info on 356's when I read this post. I called on the same car today. I haven't seen it and not sure if I should. ( no time, no space, no money...)
He sounded pretty eager on the phone. Has only had the car for a year and has two others. He said that it came from Texas via Chicago. He bought it on Ebay sight unseen.

The most that I know about 356s is that they occurred before rustproofing. He said that an extra pan and rails come with the car but it doesn't need it. He got them when he bought it. Someone must have thought that it needed them.

I have a prefectly good 88 coupe that doesn't get driven enough as it is. I don't know why I'm thinking about this. I guess that it's the challenge of it. I still may look at this weekend if you don't get there first.

Good luck,

Greg

[Wayne 962]

356s are neat cars, if only for the nostalgia of them. If you compared it to your '88, it would be like comparing a calculator to a pentium computer. I am continuously amazed at how simple the 356 is - yet how often I have to fix things on it. Makes me scratch my head quite a bit...

-Wayne

[Zeke]

This is my first post over here (I think I need a life or something), but having owned one 356B, I can concur with the rust thing especially at the door bottoms. By door bottoms they mean where the pinch seam of the door frame meets the outside skin. The bondo monster lives in these doors and you don't want to meet him.

[Wayne 962]

Post pics, so that we can citique it!

-Wayne

[gac123]

I finally decided that I had to look at this car. It was pretty much as described. It started OK cold but seemed very rich. The flexible stove pipes were missing. After it warmed up it ran very well. The clutch engages with the pedal at the floor. The shifter is way too loose. I only got it up to 45 - 50. When I gave the wheel a quick left right wiggle it scared me. I'm not sure what was going on but it wasn't stable.
Attached are pictures. They actually look better than reality. I'm going to have to think about this one for a few days for ( $9200 ). BTW, I checked the VIN at the 356 registery and it shows up as a 64.
Greg

[echocanyons]

shows up as a 64...

I understand that this is common.

If I remember right the cars werent titled until purchased which would make some of the 356's that didnt sell right away and sat on the lot for an extended period of time titled as the year that they were purchased.

So, if a brown 356 made in late 64 sat until early 65 then purchased would be titled as a 65 even though it is a 64.

9200 dollars isnt bad how is the rust situation?

Kelly

[echocanyons]

What is up with the rubber hood closures?
This is in no way stock!

[gac123]

How bad is the rust? The hood should be replaced. The drivers fender near the hood has a large blister with no paint. The doors are solid at the bottoms and shut well. The floor pan is pretty good except around the battery. All rubber needs to be replaced but the current owner says that it doesn't leak.

The hood latches are funky. I can't figure out why they were used instead of the correct latch. It's laying in the trunk. Maybe the cable routing is tricky?

Greg

[echocanyons]

Togo brown is a rare color (dont know if thats a good thing or not)
it was only offered throughout the 64-65 356 production years.

Kelly